1380wheellock

1380) A 22 BORE WHEELLOCK RIFLE BY HANS HELLER CIRCA 1682 FROM THE ARMORY OF THE GRAND DUKES OF WEIMAR: Constructed with an octagonal sighted barrel rifled with 8 grooves, circumventing the breech for sighting, and struck in front of the back-sight with brass-lined maker’s mark (Neu Stockel 2899) and date “1683”, grooved tang, flat lock with further maker’s mark and date “1682”, sliding pan-cover, top jaw and cock-spring with gilt-brass acorn-shaped finials, gilt-brass wheel-cover cast and pierced with flowering foliage and putto-mask, gilt-brass pan-cover release button and bridle to cock-spring with cast putto-masks, fruit wood full stock with fluted fore-end carved with overlapping leaves, butt with foliage and imitation staghorn panels, studded with steel nails and inlaid with wire scroll work incl. coat-of-arms on cheekpiece, sliding patch-box cover en suite, iron mounts incl. indented trigger-guard with foliate finials, rosette-shaped side nail plates, butt-plate with button, iron fore-end cap, original iron-mounted ramrod , barrel l. 33 3/4 in

Provenance: The Grand Dukes of Saxe-Weimar, Schloss Ettersburg, Weimar, Germany; Sotheby & Co., London, “Good Antique and Modern Firearms and Edged Weapons,” Mar. 22, 1971, lot 242; Bonhams, London , Apr. 14, 2005, lot 28. The Saxe-Weimar armory contained many similar rifles by Heller, who probably worked in the castle as a resident gun maker. Owner needs it sold as soon as possible and priced accordingly!!!*

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